The HMS Belfast was launched in 1938 and saw action in World War II, including firing some of the first shots on D-Day. The ship also was part of the United Nations naval forces during the Korean War. In 1971, the retired ship was brought to London and moored along the Thames by Tower Bridge as a floating museum.
Below are trip highlights from March 13th in London, UK. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps
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Draft House
Position: 0 4.62, 51 30.17
Enjoying a tasting flight with lunch at the Draft House Tower Bridge before touring the HMS Belfast.
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HMS Belfast
Position: 0 4.82, 51 30.38
The HMS Belfast was launched in 1938 from the same shipyard as the Titanic: Harland and Wolff in Belfast where we visited last fall.
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Engine Room
Position: 0 4.85, 51 30.38
Much of the HMS Belfast is open to the public, including large parts of the engine room. The ship could achieve speeds of 32 knots powered by 4 oil-fired boilers and 4 steam turbines.
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Shell Room
Position: 0 4.85, 51 30.38
Belfast‘s armament include twelve six-inch guns in four triple-gun turrets. These are replicas of the six-inch shells in the shell room below one of the gun turrets.
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Bow
Position: 0 4.95, 51 30.40
On the bow of the HMS Belfast looking toward two of the triple-gun turrets, with the ship’s bridge and superstructure beyond. Tower Bridge is just visible on the left beyond the ship.
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Bridge
Position: 0 4.91, 51 30.39
Jennifer taking in the view from the Navigating Officers chair at the spartan bridge.
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Tower of London
Position: 0 4.92, 51 30.40
A great view from the HMS Belfast to the Tower of London, lit up in the afternoon sun.
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Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise.
On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps. |
Those seats on the bridge look like they’ve got a designed comfort factor of about 15 – 20 minutes, thus ensuring there’s no sitting down on the job (´･_･`)
Yeah, your right. The military wastes little money or design time on creature comforts.